Encapsulated polymer stabilized cholesteric texture light shutter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9304350-B2
Application number	US-201313908446-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2013
Priority date	Jun 1, 2012
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

An encapsulated polymer stabilized cholesteric texture (EPSCT) light shutter is formed from a cholesteric liquid crystal and monomer that is encapsulated into micron sized, polymer-coated droplets by either an emulsification or phase separation process. The polymer-coated droplets are disposed between transparent electrodes, where they are irradiated by ultra-violet (UV) light to polymerize the monomer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A light shutter comprising:
first and second spaced electrodes, wherein at least one of said electrodes is at least partially transparent;
a polymer disposed between the first and second electrodes; and
at least one droplet having a shell formed of the polymer, wherein said polymer shell fully encapsulates a polymer network dispersed in liquid crystal material;
wherein when a first voltage is applied to the first and second electrode, the liquid crystal material is placed in a light scattering state, and when a second voltage is applied to the first and second electrodes, the liquid crystal material is placed in an at least partially light transparent state.

2. The light shutter of claim 1 , wherein said first and second electrodes are formed of indium-tin-oxide (ITO).

3. The light shutter of claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal material comprises nematic liquid crystals.

4. The light shutter of claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal material is anisotropic.

Assignees

• Univ Kent State Ohio

Inventors

• Yang Deng-Ke
• Cui Yue
• Zhang Cuiyu

Classifications

• G02F2001/13775

  Physics · mapped topic

• G02F1/1334 Primary

  based on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, e.g. microencapsulated liquid crystals · CPC title

• G02F1/13439

  characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making · CPC title

• G02F1/13775

  Polymer-stabilized liquid crystal layers · CPC title

• B05D5/065

  having colour interferences or colour shifts or opalescent looking, flip-flop, two tones · CPC title